Countries awash with weapons -- especially in poorer regions where arms-smuggling was rampant -- needed ‘real assistance’ from technical experts and civil society organizations to curb illegal commerce in small arms and light weapons, speakers stressed yesterday, as the Third Biennial Meeting to halt the illicit trade reached the halfway mark of its week-long session.

As a first step towards reducing the risks associated with surplus stockpiles of small arms -- potential sources of illegal weapons in circulation -- the international community should raise States’ awareness of the urgent need to effectively manage those stockpiles, delegates heard today as the Biennial Meeting of States on combating the illicit small arms and light weapons trade continued.